Concise Biographical Dictionary of Noted Musicians Born in Poland

 

 

Adamowska, see Szumowska-Adamowska.

Adamowski, Joseph. Born Warsaw, Poland, 1862. Noted ‘cellist. Pupil of Slavenhagen and Tchaikovski (in composition). Member of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Husband of Antoinette Szumowska (q. v.).

Adamowski, Timothĕe. Born Warsaw, 1858. Noted Polish violinist and composer. Founded the Adamowski Quartet, 1888. Member of the Boston Symphony Orchestra.

Badarczewska, Thelka. Warsaw, 1838-62. Wrote a number of piano pieces including The Maiden’s Prayer.

Bandrowski, Alexander von. Born Galicia, 1860. Noted Polish tenor.

Baselt, Fritz. Oels, Silesia, 1863. Noted conductor, composer of numerous short operas and male part songs.

Beeth, Lola. Cracow, 1862. Noted dramatic soprano. Made her debut at Berlin as Elsa in Lohengrin, and has sung in America.

Bergson, Michael. Born Warsaw, 1820; died London, 1898. Composed opera, Louisa di Montfort (Florence, 1847); director of Geneva Conservatory; afterwards taught in London. Composed orchestral and chamber music.

Borowski, Felix. Born London, England. Studied in London and Cologne. Came to America and settled in Chicago, 1897. Music critic on Chicago Record-Herald, noted teacher, and composer of fine violin pieces, suchas Adoration; has also written some beautiful songs, etc.

Brosig, Moritz. Silesia, 1815-87. Music director Breslau Cathedral. Composer of church music.

Chopin, Frederic. Born near Warsaw, 1810; died Paris, 1849. Played in Vienna, 1829, but settled in Paris, 1831. Visited London, 1848-49. As a performer he played with exquisite refinement and poetic insight, and as a composer of pianoforte music pure and simple he has never been surpassed.

De Reszke, Edouard. Warsaw, 1855. Celebrated bass singer now in Paris. Has sung with great success in Paris, Turin, Milan, London and America.

De Reszke, Jean. Warsaw, 1852. Fine dramatic tenor, especially famous in Wagnerian roles. Also famous as a teacher, among his pupils being his own brother, Bessie Abbott and Maggie Teyte.

Dreszer, Anastasius W. Brilliant Polish pianist, born about 1845. Founded a music school at Halle. Composed two symphonies, piano pieces, songs, etc.

Durand (Duranowski), Auguste F. Warsaw, 1770. Died about 1840. Celebrated violinist, noted for his brilliant style.

Elsner, Joseph X. Silesia, 1769; died 1854. Taught Chopin at Warsaw, where he established a school for organists that afterwards became the Conservatory. Composed nineteen operas; ballets, symphonies, cantatas, etc. Also wrote two essays on the Polish language in vocal music.

Fitelberg, Gregor. Dünaburg, 1879. Noted contemporary, conductor and composer of symphonic and instrumental works.

Förster, Emanuel A. Born Silesia, 1748 ; died Vienna, 1823. Composer and theorist.

Franck, Eduard. Born Breslau, 1817; died 1893. Pianoforte teacher and composer of a symphono (sic), piano concerto, and chamber music.

Gavronski, Woitech. Born near Vilna, 1868. Composer.

Gebel, Franz X. Born near Breslau, 1787; died 1843. Conductor, composer and teacher.

Gebel, Georg (Senr.). Breslau, 1685-1750. Wrote several compositions, including canons up to thirty parts; invented a clavichord with quarter tones.

Gebel, Georg (Junr.). Son of preceding. Born Silesia, 1709; died 1753. Organist and conductor. His works include twelve operas, numerous cantatas, and over one hundred orchestra pieces.

Godowski, Leopold. Born Vilna, 1870. One of the greatest living virtuosos of the piano. Has also composed some remarkable works.

Gomolka, Nicholas. 1539-1609. Created Polish national part-music with his setting of Kochanowski’s Psalter of 150 psalms. Also introduced the chord of the ninth, and forestalled Monteverde in the use of the chord of the dominant seventh.

Gorski, Ladislas. Contemporary Polish Violinist. Has been professor of violin playing at Warsaw Conservatory, and a member of the Lamoureux Orchestra in Paris. His compositions include a suite for violin and strings, and other orchestral works, etc.

Heinrich, Johann G. Silesia, 1807-82. Composer of (sic)

Hofmann. Joseph. Cracow, 1877. Famous virtuoso pianist. First played in public at the age of six; now resident in America. Has composed piano pieces, etc.

Holländer, Gustav. Leobschütz, Upper Silesia, 1855. Violinist, pupil of David and Joachim. Director of Stern Conservatory, Berlin, 1894. Concertmeister, Hamburg, 1896. Composer of pieces for violin and piano.

Hollander, Victor. Leobschütz, 1866. Composer of comic operas.

Hubermann, Bronislaw. Born near Warsaw, 1882. Noted violinist.

Ilinski, Count J. S. Born Poland, 1795. Studied under Beethoven and composed symphonies, overtures, much church music, chamber music, songs, etc. The date of his death is unknown.

Janiewicz, Felix. 1762-1848. Noted Polish violinist.

Janotha, Nathalie. Warsaw, 1856. Noted pianist, pupil of Madame Schumann.

Jarecki, Henri. Warsaw, 1846. Conductor and composer.

Jasinska, Magdelene. Noted Polish singer.

Karlowicz, Mieczyslaw. Born Wieszniewo, 1876; died Zakopane, 1909. Noted conductor and composer of elaborate works.

Kamienski, Mathias. Born Ödenburg, Hungary, 1734; died Warsaw, 1821. “First composer of Polish Opera.”

He composed six operas, the first being Misery Made Happy, produced in Warsaw, May 11, 1778.

Karasowski, Moritz. Warsaw, 1823; died 1892. Celebrated ‘cellist and writer on musical subjects.

Kochanska, Marcelline. See Sembrich, Marcella.

Koczalski, Raoul A. G. Celebrated pianist, born Warsaw, 1885. Played in public at the age of four and toured as a “prodigy.” Became Court Pianist to the Shah of Persia. Has written an opera and some pianoforte music.

Kontski, Antoine de. Cracow, 1817; died 1899. Celebrated pianist; lived many years in London and toured the world at the age of eighty. Wrote pianoforte pieces.

Kontski, Apollinaire de. Warsaw, 1825-79. Eminent violinist and favorite pupil of Paganini. Founded Warsaw Conservatory, 1861. Brother of Antoine de Kontski; two other brothers, Charles, 1815-67, and Stanislas, born 1820, were also noted violinists.

Kothe, Bernhard. Gröbnig, 1821 ; died 1897. Founded the Cäcilien-Verein for Catholic Church music, Breslau. Composed organ and church music; wrote pamphlets on church music.

Kuczinski, Paul. Born 1846. Noted Polish composer.

Kurpinski, Karl. Posen, 1785 ; died 1857. Conductor of Warsaw National Theatre, 1825-41. Composed twenty-four Polish operas and several ballets.

Lambert, Alexander. Born Warsaw, 1862. Celebrated pianist and very able teacher. Director of New York College of Music, 1888. Has composed valuable pianoforte pieces, studies, etc.

Leschetizky, Theodor. Born Langert, Austrian Poland, 1830. Teacher of Paderewski and a number of other distinguished concert pianists. Has composed an opera and pianoforte pieces.

Lewandowski, Louis. Born Wreschen, Posen, 1823, died 1894. Conductor of the Berlin Synagogue from 1840. Co-founder and active supporter of the “Institute for Aged and Indigent Musicians.”

Lipinski, Karl Joseph. Born Radzyn, Poland, 1790; died 1861. Distinguished violinist. Concertmeister, Dresden, 1839-1859. Composed four violin concertos, compiled a collection of Galician folk songs, etc.

Maszynski, Peter. Born Warsaw, 1855. Pianist and composer.

Melcer, Heinrich von. Born Warsaw, 1869. Noted pianist and composer.

Minhejmer, Adam. 1830-1904. Composer of popular Polish overtures.

Mikuli, Karl. Born Czernowitz, Galicia, 1821 ; died 1897. Pupil of Chopin. Artistic Director Lemberg Conservatory, 1858. Founded a Music School 1888. Published an edition of Chopin’s works with marginal notes showing the emendations of Chopin on Mikuli’s copies.

Mlynarski, Emil. Born Poland, 1870. Noted composer and conductor.

Moniuszkco, Stanislav. Born Lithuania, 1813 (20?) ; died 1872. Noted organist and composer. Director of Warsaw Opera 1858. Composed fifteen national Polish operas, cantatas, church music and songs.

Moszkowski, Alexander. Born Pilica, Poland, 1851. Noted critic and editor.

Moszkowski, Maurice. Born Breslau, 1854. Noted pianist, teacher and composer. His compositions include an opera, Boabdil, orchestral works, and many charming piano pieces, including the Serenade, Spanish Dances, Valse Brillante, etc.

Norblin, Louis P. Born Warsaw, 1781; died 1854. Noted ‘cellist.

Noszkowski, Sigismund. Born Warsaw, 1848. Distinguished Polish composer. Director Warsaw Music Society, 1881. Professor at Warsaw Conservatory, 1888. His works include the opera Livia, orchestral pieces, pianoforte pieces, etc., and a work on musical notation for the blind.

Nowowiejski, Felix. Born Wartenberg, 1875. Noted contemporary composer of opera (Quo Vadis?), orchestra and instrumental music.

Novakovski, Josef. Born Minzsck, Poland, 1805; died 1865. Noted pianist and teacher. Wrote chamber music and numerous pianoforte pieces.

Oginski, Michael Casimir. Warsaw, 1731-1803. Said to have invented the pedals of the harp.

Oginski, Prince Michael Cleophas. Nephew of preceding. Warsaw, 1765-1833. Noted composer of polonaises.

Opienski, Henrik. Born 1870. Pupil of d’Indy, Urban, Nikisch and Riemann. Has written symphonic poems and is a celebrated Polish critic. Conductor of Warsaw Symphony Orchestra,

Pachulski, Heinrich. Born Lasa, Russia, 1859. Pianoforte professor Moscow conservatory, 1886. Composed suite for orchestra, numerous piano pieces, and arranged Tschaikovski’s works for piano.

Paderewski, Ignace. Born Podolia, Poland, 1860. The most noted Polish musician since Chopin. Long held a dominant position among contemporary virtuoso pianists. Compositions include the opera Manru, symphonies, songs and several piano pieces, including a popular Minuet in G, Cravcovienne, Toccata, Songs of a Voyager, etc.

Panofka, Heinrich. Born Breslau, 1807; died 1887. Noted violinist and teacher of singing.

Poniatowski, Josef Michael. Prince of Monte Rotundo in spite of his Polish name; was a nephew of a Prince Poniatowski, Marshal of France, and was born in Rome, 1816; died Chislehurst, England, 1873. He studied music in Florence, became noted as a tenor ; composed many operas and popular songs and ballads, including the popular Yeoman’s Wedding Song.

Radziwill, Prince Anton H. Born Wilma, 1775; died 1833. Distinguished amateur composer; patron of Beethoven and Chopin.

Rozycki, Ludomir. Warsaw, 1883. Noted conductor, composer of opera, orchestral works, violin, ‘cello, piano music and songs.

Scharwenka, Philipp. Born Samter, 1847. Noted pianist, teacher and composer. Has written choral and orchestral works; piano pieces, ‘cello pieces, and songs.

Scharwenka, Xaver. Born Samter, Poland, 1850. Brother of preceding. Famous concert pianist, teacher and composer. Has toured America with success. His works include an opera (Mataswintha, 1896) ; symphony, concertos, chamber music and piano music. He is the composer of the popular Polish Dance.

Sembrich, Marcella (real name Marcelline Kochanska). Born Wisnewczyk, Galicia, 1858. Celebrated soprano. Début Athens, 1877 ; London, 1880. Has been for many years a great favorite in America. The fact that she studied violin for many years perhaps accounts for the singular beauty of her interpretations.

Slivinski, Joseph von. Born Warsaw, 1865. Noted concert pianist. Pupil of Rubinstein and Leschetizki.

Stojowski, Sigismund. Born Strelce, Poland, 1870. Famous concert pianist and teacher, now in New York. Won first prize for pianoforte playing and composition, Paris Conservatory, 1889. Studied later under Paderewski. Has composed a pianoforte concerto, orchestral pieces, a Romance for violin and orchestra, charming pianoforte music, etc. Has also written notable lessons on great pianoforte masterpieces for The Etude.

Stolpe, Arnold. Died 1872. Composer of popular Polish overtures.

Strakosch, Moritz. Born Lemberg, Galicia, 1825 (‘30) ; died 1887. Won distinction as a pianist and teacher, but after 1856 became better known as an opera impresario. Teacher and brother-in-law of Adelina Patti. Composed an opera and wrote pianoforte pieces.

Szumowska-Adamowski, Antoinette. Born Lublin, Poland, 1868. After studying in Poland with noted teachers she went to Paris and became a pupil of Paderewski. Now resides in Boston, and has won notable success as a concert pianist. She is the wife of the noted Polish ‘cellist, Joseph Adamowski.

Szymanovska, Maria (née Wolowska). Born Poland 1790; died 1831. Noted pianist, pupil of Field in Moscow. Lived in Warsaw, 1815-30, at the same time occasionally touring Europe. Court pianist at St. Petersburg. Wrote 24 mazurkas, a nocturne, studies, etc., for piano. Her compositions were praised by Schumann.

Szymanovski, Carl. Born 1883. Studied with Noszkowski. Noted contemporary composer of orchestral works, piano music and songs.

Tausig, Carl. Born Warsaw, 1841; died Leipzig, 1871. Celebrated pianist, pupil of Liszt. Founded a school for pianoforte playing in Berlin, made many successful tours. His compositions include the notable studies, pianoforte pieces, etc. Also made a pianoforte transcription of Wagner’s Meistersinger.

Wallek-Walewski, Boleslaus. Born 1885. Famous composer of orchestral humoreskes.

Wanski, Johann N. Born Poland, about 1800. Notable violinist.

Wieniawski, Henry. Born Lublin, Poland, 1835; died Moscow, 1880. Noted violinist. Won first prize for violin playing Paris Conservatory, 1846. Toured Europe with his brother, Joseph, and was appointed solo violinist to the Czar, 1860. Lived in Russia until 1#72. Violin Professor Brussels Conservatory, 1874-7. Composed concertos, fantasias, studies, etc., for violin.

Wieniawski, Joseph. Brother of preceding; born Lublin, 1837. Famous pianist. Studied Paris Conservatory, 1847-50. Toured with his brother. Teacher Moscow Conservatory, 1866. Settled in Brussels. Composed orchestral pieces, pianoforte concerto, chamber music, piano pieces, etc.